Top Honor Awarded to Powerful Elephant Scene
The Natural History Museum in London has announced the winners of the 62nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, selecting Federico Veronesi as the overall top prize winner. Veronesi captured the winning photograph, which also took first place in the Behaviour: Mammals category, in Namibia, Africa. The image documents a female elephant carrying a deceased calf, with the calf’s leg resting wedged between her tusk and trunk.
Veronesi documented the scene using a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera paired with a 400mm f/2.8 telephoto lens. The striking visual offers a window into the complex emotional and cognitive responses exhibited by African wildlife under distressing conditions.
Jury Highlights Animal Cognition and Emotion
Kathy Moran, the Chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Jury, praised the significance of the image both emotionally and scientifically. Moran noted that emotionally the image delivers a gut punch and is heartbreakingly poignant, while intellectually serving as proof of animal cognition.
Organizers of the contest detailed the scientific context surrounding the event, noting that death-related behaviors have been documented across both Asian and African elephant populations. Documented actions include vocalizations, vigilant guarding of remains, handling and inspecting skeletal remnants, and physically carrying deceased individuals. Field researchers continue to explore whether these actions mark an evolving understanding of mortality or represent external displays of mourning and grief.
Broad Recognition Across Categories
The 62nd edition of the competition recognized a total of 19 young and adult category winners spanning specialized habitats and animal species. Among the honored entries was the Natural Artistry category winner, taken by photographer Michał Michalski. Michalski utilized a deliberate slow shutter speed technique to photograph goldfinches and bramblings as they took flight, yielding an optical illusion reminiscent of autumn foliage lingering in the trees.
Exhibition and Publication Details
Developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, the annual competition serves to document global animal behavior and changing ecosystems. The winning entries will be featured in a public exhibition at the Natural History Museum from October 16, 2026, running through July 11, 2027.
Admission tickets for the exhibition are scheduled to start at £8.50 for children, £13.60 for concessions, and £17 for adult visitors through the museum’s booking platform. In tandem with the exhibition, the companion book titled Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio 36 is slated for release on October 14 at a retail price of £28.
